Unworthy rebels, redeemed by the King of Kings and made servants fit for His use.
This week, Chris Huff of Matter Theology joins VOR. Following the SBC Annual Meeting, we discuss the drift of the denomination, the actions of its leaders, and ask the question: is it time for churches to leave the SBC?
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Donate to “Cessationist” Movie Project
STTK Article: On Rick Warren, Women Pastors, and “Secondary Issues.”
Megan Basham Article: Southern Baptists’ #MeToo Moment
Tennessean New Site: Live Updates of Annual Meeting
On June 14, 2022, during the Southern Baptist Convention’s Annual Meeting in Anaheim, California, Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church was given the opportunity to speak at the Messengers’ microphone for approximately five minutes (more than any other Messenger at the time). Pastor Warren gave an impassioned statement about his love for the SBC and how being part of the Convention made his many accomplishments possible (a list he was only too proud to share).
While much can be said about Pastor Warren’s braggadocios claims (and his apparent lack of self-awareness about how much he was making of himself rather than Christ) it was his conclusion that struck a rather interesting chord for some. As he finished his statement, Pastor Warren said, “are we going to keep bickering about secondary issues or are we going to keep the main thing the main thing. We need to finish the task and that will make God smile.” Bickering over secondary issues. That is what Rick Warren challenged SBC Messengers to do, stop bickering over secondary issues.
Just what kind of issues is he referring to? One of the primary matters of discussion at the Annual Meeting was the ordination of women as pastors, especially in light of the fact that Saddleback Church had recently, and very publicly, ordained three women to that office. So much of a discussion was this issue that a call for the disfellowshipping of Saddleback had been brought up (it didn’t happen) and an hour-long discussion over whether the Credentials Committee could take time to study what “pastor” meant occurred (thankfully, it did not pass). This particular issue was very much in view when Pastor Warren made his plea.
What is a secondary issue? It is a poorly phrased term (I’ll say why shortly) for those doctrinal issues that do not fall within the area of what can exclude someone from the faith by its denial. In other words, certain doctrinal beliefs – such as the deity of Christ, the Triune nature of God, salvation by faith alone in Christ alone, and others – are of such importance that the denial of them prohibits the possibility of calling oneself a Christian. To deny that we are saved by Christ alone, for example, to espouse that there are other means of salvation, means we have denied the words of Christ alone when He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). You cannot deny these necessary truths and possess the salvation of Christ. These would be considered “primary” doctrines.
“Secondary” doctrines are important matters of faith where it is possible to be wrong or in error and yet still be saved. Such doctrines can include baptism (such as debates over infant or believer’s baptism), end-times doctrine (amil, postmil, premil, etc), and, to an extent, discussions over the nature of salvation (monergistic vs. synergistic). Included in that designation of “secondary” doctrines would be who can be appointed to the office of pastor. These are matters that Scripture speaks with authority and clarity, but can often be interpreted differently for a variety of reasons (ignorance, preconceptions, traditions, importation of personal ideologies, etc). As such, Christians will find themselves in debates over these matters, yet, in many cases still be able to call one another brethren.
Pastor Warren wants members of the SBC to see the ordination of women as simply a “secondary issue” over which “bickering” need not occur. That, rather than debating what Scripture says, they need to lay the matter aside, link arms in unity, and “keep the main thing the main thing.” In other words, stop worrying about whether Saddleback is right or wrong on this matter, just get back to evangelism, and bring bodies into the church. And for that, many gave him a standing ovation.
Here is the thing though, does a doctrine being a “secondary” issue relegate it to the realm of being unimportant? Should Christians simply disregard their differences on these matters for the sake of unity? Or are these doctrines still important enough that churches are called not only to determine what is right but actually apply and live by those doctrines? Of course, the correct answer is the last one.
Pastor Warren, and many others like him, are simply wrong when they tell us to stop worrying about secondary doctrines. God’s Word is not a book of recommendations that we ought to pick through, using what we like and discarding what we do not. It is God’s inspired, inerrant, infallible, and all-sufficient revelation for all Christian life and practice (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17). We are to study it daily, conforming ourselves to its precepts and commands. We are to grow in our understanding, never being satisfied to think we somehow have mastered it all. We are to submit humbly to the Word, examine ourselves by it, and repent whenever we find ourselves in contradiction to what God has said.
That means that the so-called “secondary issues” have as much importance in our lives as the primary ones. Remember, we are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17) in Christ. When we were called to him in repentance and faith, we were told to be baptized and obey all that Christ has commanded us (Matthew 28:19-20). How do we know what He has commanded? By diligently studying His Word. Scripture, all of it in its entirety, is God’s revelation of Himself, His nature, and His work in us. Therefore, there are no unimportant doctrines. All of doctrine is important.
This is why the term “secondary issues” is a train wreck. It gives a less than subtle implication that, because it is not “primary” or salvific, it does not matter what you believe. Nothing could be further from the truth. If God has commanded us in a given matter, we are obligated to believe and obey Him. To refuse to obey God is to be lawless, it is sin. When we have His Word before us, we are called to study and understand what His commands are and to commit them to our hearts and minds. And we are then to live by them. We do not have the freedom to stay ignorant. We do not have the freedom to relegate something as being unimportant. We have a duty to read, study, meditate on, and obey His word.
This is why debating these matters of doctrine is also important. Because we are fallible and prone to disobedience, it is incumbent upon all Christians and churches to examine our doctrine and practice regularly. This means that those other factors I mentioned earlier (ignorance, preconceptions, traditions, and ideologies) must be examined and challenged. If we love the church, if we truly care for the bride of Christ, we cannot simply sit by and not speak when we see professing brethren openly reject and disregard the Word of God. We must speak up, we must challenge, we must debate, and we must demand that we all conform ourselves to the Scriptures.
Rick Warren does not want his ordaining of women challenged. Yet, Scripture is clear. God has reserved the office of pastor to particularly qualified men (1 Timothy 2:12-14). While God does indeed give gifts and calls certain persons to given roles (Ephesians 4:7-11), He never contradicts Himself. If God calls a person to pastor, then He will call the very persons He has authorized in His Word. Pastor Warren wants to say that the gift of pastor and the office of pastor are different things. Yet, there is no such distinction in Scripture whatsoever. It is a rejection of the totality of the teaching of the Word to claim otherwise. And when called out for this, Pastor Warren says this is bickering. That the matter is secondary. That it is an obstacle to “the main thing.”
What Pastor Warren is really saying is that he wants to ignore Scripture because it interferes with his preferred church business model. And he wants other Christians to quit telling him that he is disobeying the Word. Pastor Warren is elevating his personal ideologies above the clear commands of God and he is trying to recruit other Christians to do likewise.
Christians, “secondary issues” are still God’s commands to His church. They are not open to personal interpretation and application. And they are most certainly not open to rank disobedience because we do not like them. These doctrines inform us of the character and nature of our Lord and Savior. They call us to humble ourselves and submit to Christ that we might make much of Him. Our commitment to study and live in accordance with these doctrines brings glory to His name. They point the watching world to the Savior who is greater, more majestic, and more beautiful than anything we have to offer. To do anything but make a diligent effort to be transformed by these doctrines is to put ourselves over His Word. May this never be. Pastor Warren and those who applauded him need to humble themselves and repent.
Secondary doctrines are important doctrines. Study them. Know them. Live by them. Be humbled by them. Glorify God in obeying them.
This week, Chris joins Andy Olson on the Echo Zoe Radio program for Discussion Cornucopia 2022. They talk about three different, but related topics from the Christian response to tragedy, being Salt and Light in the world, and the nature of our rights as Christians.
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Since its inception under then President, Barak Obama, June is routinely proclaimed “Pride Month,” a full month celebrating all persons identifying as LGBTQ+. And every year at this time, we can count on a multitude of corporations to begin not only changing their decor but using their platforms to promote a message of support, acceptance, and affirmation of LGBTQ+ persons. This comes as no surprise to the Christian given that we are living in a culture that is increasingly, not just post-Christian, but anti-Christian in its practice. However, what we should never come to expect is this kind of promotion to come from a professing Christian company. Enter Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
Eerdmans Publishing is not simply a corporation owned and run ostensibly by Christians, such as Chick-Fil-A or Hobby Lobby. Rather, it is a publishing company that intentionally publishes and sells books specifically meant for Christian consumption. This means the books they publish should reflect the Christian worldview and sound, biblical doctrine. The books, while covering a wide range of topics and perspectives, should fall within the bounds of Christian orthodoxy.
This means that a variety of doctrinal positions could be represented and published, but should be falling within the boundaries of orthodox Christianity. Not promoting false doctrine, heterodox, or heretical positions (with the exception of refuting those matters). Most definitely what those books should never do is promote any sinful act or attitude as an acceptable practice in the life of a Christian. Especially, sins that are clearly and specifically condemned in Scripture. Yet, Eerdmans took a clear step in the opposite direction just recently. And to make matters worse, when called out by Christians for doing so, Eerdmans doubled down.
So, what did Eerdmans do? On June 3, 2022, Eerdmans published on its blog, Eerdword, a list of “Books to Read for Pride Month.” Were these books that addressed the sins of sexual immorality from a Scriptural perspective, which condemned these practices but encouraged loving evangelism and discipleship, calling such persons out of a lifestyle of sin? No, quite the opposite. In Eerdmans’ own words, “there is still such disunity and unrest on this topic, especially among people of faith. We find ourselves at a time again where we should be willing to listen and seek to understand those in the LGBTQ+ community who are simply fighting to be seen and heard, cared for and loved.”
In other words, this list of books, which they published, was culled for the specific purpose to cause Christians to doubt Scripture’s clear condemnation of sinful sexual practices. In stating that persons of the LGBTQ+ community are “fighting to be seen and heard, cared for and loved,” Eerdmans seeks not to appeal to the infallible foundations of Scripture, but to the ever-fickle and changing emotions of the heart. This is an appeal that implies that to respond to LGBTQ+ identity and practice with a call to repentance is to fail to see, hear, care for, and love these persons. That to truly care for this community means laying down the authority of Scripture and to hear their stories. If we want to love, we need to hear them out and understand they are not such bad people after all.
Thankfully, when Eerdmans promoted this article on their Twitter page, Christians responded vociferously. The response was not one of adulation but of open reproof and rebuke. In fact, the pushback was more than Eerdmans anticipated, resulting in the immediate removal of the tweet in question. However, they did not pull the article or the books they were promoting. In fact, when a Christian shared the article link and a much-needed rebuke, Eerdmans responded with the following, “We want to offer perspectives from all experiences, and these specific books highlight stories that are often overlooked. We simply wanted to share these stories because we believe in the value of listening to human experiences, stories we might be resistant to.”
On June 7, 2022, Eerdmans not only reposted the tweet promoting the article, but also a lengthy thread doubling down on their position. We’ll address that in a moment, but let’s look at their reasoning. Eerdmans believes in the “value of listening to human experiences.” This is highly problematic. Why? Because human experience is not the standard by which we measure whether or not something is approved of by God. Scripture is. God provided us with His special revelation to us contained in the 66 books of His Word. All of Scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit, it is infallible, inerrant, and sufficient for all of Christian faith and practice. There is nothing in this world that surpasses or supplants His glorious message contained in the Bible.
It is in Scripture that we learn of the true nature of the human condition (Jer. 17:9). It reveals that we are sinners from the moment we are conceived (Psalm 51:5). Through its commandments, we see how are hearts seek to rebel against God’s Word (Gal. 3:24-26). We see that the only hope is Christ who took on human flesh (John 1:14), that He lived without sin (2 Cor. 5:21) yet, because He loved us, He became sin for our sake and died for us on the cross (Romans 5:8). Christ did this that the wrath of God might be satisfied through His sacrifice (1 John 2:2). When we turn in repentance and faith to Christ, we are made new creations (2 Cor. 5:17) with new hearts and new desires (Ezek. 36:26-27). We turn from our wicked ways and seek to be obedient to our Lord and Savior (1 Cor. 6:11). There is nothing about the “human experience” all of Scripture does not address.
Yet, Eerdmans’ article and Twitter posts reject that Scripture is the sole infallible authority on human life. Rather, there is another authority, the “stories that are often overlooked.” It is the personal accounts and appeals from those living their lives in rebellion to God’s Word to which we must listen. That, in order to truly love and care for them, we ought not to seek to point them to God’s Word, calling for them to repent of their sin and submit to Christ. Instead, we are to be silent and read their stories, listening to how difficult their lives have been in a world where they have been told to live as their hearts lead them is wrong. And, instead of defining love and care by Scripture’s terms, we are to hear how they define love and care, then respond, not as the Bible’s commands, but in a manner these new definitions require of us.
This is what Eerdmans is calling on Christians to practice. Not be held to the authority of Scripture but to be swayed by the emotional appeals and redefinitions of persons who do not want to submit to God’s Word. What truly makes this even more tragic is Eerdmans’ failure to recognize that calling people out of sin and into Christ is the absolute most loving thing any Christian can do for them. Not letting people sit in the mire and muck of sinful debauchery which is leading them on a path to Hell. Instead, pleading with them as ones who have been purchased by Christ’s shed blood. We were rebel sinners bound up in sin and racing into the fires of judgment. Yet, Christ in His mercy stopped us dead, exposed the foulness of our hearts, and set us free from sin. No greater joy is there than when a sinner meets His Savior on that day and comes to new life in Christ, freed from the very sins he or she thought they could never live without. That is true love and care for those in our midst.
However, Eerdmans takes this madness one step further. Today, they released a statement on Twitter in a multi-post thread. Eerdmans wanted to make it clear that they did not take down their first tweet because they thought they were wrong. Instead, they took it down “because the overwhelming vitriol was alarming, and we wanted to protect our authors.” See, it wasn’t because Christians who rebuked them made them think twice and consider their position in light of Scripture. They never considered it to be something they should do. Rather, they were shocked and appalled that Christians would say such mean things and they simply could not allow the authors, whose books they publish and make money from, to be exposed to such biblical reproof.
Eerdmans rejected Christians’ claims of apostasy as having any merit. What they did do is claim that, as a publishing company, they represent a wide variety of views. Therefore, just as they “routinely publish books that contradict each other on many contested doctrinal points,” it should be understood that they would be willing to publish authors “who have come to an affirming conclusion on biblical and theological grounds.” In other words, debates over matters such as baptism, soteriology, eschatology, and the like are no different than debates over whether or not LGBTQ+ practices are actually sinful.
Understand this, on a matter which Scripture is explicitly clear about – that God has determined not only our gender but has clearly spoken about the only institution where sexual intimacy is permissible (one man and one woman in a lifetime monogamous relationship called marriage) – Eerdmans believes that there can be a multitude of beliefs which Christians should accept as valid. And that they, as a Christian publishing company, are not obligated to publish only those views that align with Scripture.
Eerdmans categorized those who call them out for such a blatant rejection of Christian orthodoxy as being ones who “promote division and discord by categorizing Christians into two camps.” They dismissed Christians who called them to repentance and to not promote false teaching by saying “We decline to swear loyalty to one faction’s ‘us’ and join their hostilities against all corresponding ‘thems.’” Eerdmans effectively stated that if you are a Christian who believes in the biblical definitions of sexuality, gender, and marriage and rejected false teaching promoting sexual immorality, you are engaging in “hostilities” against the LGBTQ+ community.
Eerdmans believes they have taken the moral high ground when they say “our aim is not to tell you what to think.” But they do tell you that taking a biblical stand, that holding to the sole authority of Christian truth in Scripture, rather than reading “books that we believe will promote informed and charitable thinking,” is to create division and discord.
Christian, to quote Tom Ascol of Founders Ministries, “We have a book.” And that book is God’s revealed Word in Scripture. While there are many doctrinal issues we will debate until the Lord’s return, one thing is crystal clear: what the Bible calls sin is sin. This is not divisive. This is not creating discord. This is calling all persons who claim to follow Christ to submit to Him as Lord over all our lives. To allow teachings that tell sinners to reject His commands, to demand to live as though He has not spoken on this matter, to live in utter rebellion, and to affirm or celebrate such a thing is not loving in the slightest. It is to hate those persons because we have the Words of life in Christ, but we refuse to give it to them, ensuring they continue on the path to Hell.
Paul wrote “What shall we then? Are we continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Rom. 6:1-2). The most gracious and loving thing is not to sit and listen quietly to stories of those enslaved to sin, making space for them, and calling them Christians when they still serve another master. Rather, all Christians, including those at Eerdmans Publishing, must submit to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We must reject all teachings that blatantly contradict His commandments, and like our Savior, we must proclaim “repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15)
One year ago, Chris and Rich addressed when professed Christian singer Latifah Alattas of “Page CXVI” publicly announced her affirmation of the LGBT community. They discussed the public statement she released on Facebook and biblically respond to her hermeneutic of “love.”
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There are those within Evangelicalism who will chide Biblically discerning Christians with an admonition along the lines of “Why don’t you just listen to a person who thinks differently than you?” This admonition is typically leveled against Christians who seek to refute false teachings being brought into the church. The challenge is made to cause Christians to doubt their own patience, long-suffering, and kindness when they refute the false teachings. It also seeks to cause the Christian to simply be silent, to let false teaching be proclaimed without a challenge.
We as Christians must certainly be listeners as well as proclaimers. We are directed in Scripture to be quick to hear and slow to speak. This means not only hearing what an opposing party says (to the point we can accurately understand and restate the argument) but that we must be thoughtful in our response. In other words, we listen, make sure we understand it, digest it, and then respond thoughtfully and biblically. Yes, we must be listeners to those who disagree with us. But listening does not mean we must agree.
Sadly, all too often, those who say, “Why don’t you listen…?” really mean, “Why don’t you just shut up and accept what this other person says!?” It is all too often framed in allegations of bigotry, racism, or misogyny. Meaning that, if a Christian does not hear and accept as true the false teachings of another person, the rejection of that teaching has less to do with biblical truth and everything to do with hatred of the other person’s gender or ethnicity.
This is not a biblical argument. Rather, it is an emotionally manipulative tactic designed to create fear and shame. The biblical admonition to listen is so that Christians might weigh the teachings against the Word and determine false from true. The manipulative admonition is given in order to prevent any thought at all. It stems from the secular ideology of “standpoint epistemology” which claims that certain “oppressed classes” have access to special knowledge the average white, cis-gendered, hetero-normative Christian can’t possibly have. Therefore, you are to be silent and accept as true whatever false teaching is being espoused.
Christians need to listen not only to false teachers to see if indeed what they say is false, but we need to listen to those who are using manipulative tactics so that we might see and understand how they are seeking to sinfully silence the speaking of biblical truth. Christians are not to simply be silent. While we are to be “slow to speak,” we are still called to “speak.”
False teaching and teachers are to be identified, marked, avoided, and responded to that they may be silenced in the presence of all. Those who seek to tear Christian thought from the moorings of Scripture need to be responded to firmly, biblically, and without apology. As much as their teachings are done publicly, so must biblically grounded responses be.
Do not fear such persons. They seek to shame you into silence that they may speak lies without obstruction. Be willing to listen, consider, but also engage. Do so thoughtfully, biblically, and without apology. Be loving, kind, and long-suffering with those struggling through such ideologies. Be firm, unyielding, and authoritative in responding to those who are manipulating the masses. Yes, listen and hear, but also consider and speak. Respond rightly that all may hear the truth.
This week, Chris elaborates on his recent post about “common-sense gun control” laws. Chris and Rich also discuss the Christian response to these issues and why Christians own firearms.
Show Links:
GTY Sermon – Answering Tough Questions About the Christian and Government
John Piper – Should Christians Be Encouraged to Arm Themselves?
Tim Challies – How Should Christians Use Guns?
This week Chris and Rich take on the ever-present argument that Christians need to be winsome and nuanced on social issues lest we offend the lost. Is this biblically true or are the pitfalls Christians need to be aware of?
Show Links:
Just Thinking – A Nuanced Gospel
Martyn Lloyd-Jones – Man and Sin
Martyn Lloyd-Jones – Ungodliness
James R. Wood – How I Evolved on Tim Keller
James R. Wood – This Article is Not About Tim Keller
David French – A Critique of Tim Keller Reveals the Moral Devolution of the New Christian Right
With the SCOTUS leak indicating the possible overturning of Roe v. Wade, Chris and Rich discuss the tepid response from evangelical elites.
Show Links:
Article: Overturning Roe v. Wade inches us back toward the arc of justice
Article: The Roe Leak Spotlights America’s Crisis of Credibility
Free Grace Broadcaster: Evangelism
The Big Eva Compromise of the 2020 Election
Whole Life Means Woke Life for Abortion
In a podcast crossover event, Michelle Lesley and Amy Spreeman of “A Word Fitly Spoken” join Rich and Chris to discuss women’s roles in the church. What does Scripture command women to do in training up younger ladies in the Church? And are there prohibitions to the means by which they teach?
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